Bournemouth are closing in on a deal to sign the Liverpool forward Ben Doak for £25m. The 19-year-old would provide a huge profit for Liverpool on the £600,000 they paid Celtic in training compensation in 2022.
The Scotland international has been linked with plenty of Premier League clubs and Porto and the proposed switch comes with Bournemouth’s Dango Ouattara poised to join Brentford for up to £42.5m.
Doak’s Liverpool future originally looked bright under Jürgen Klopp, but a combination of the German’s departure, injury and the form of Mohamed Salah meant it felt increasingly inevitable he would need to kickstart his career elsewhere. Doak spent last season on loan in the Championship at Middlesbrough, but did not feature after late January having sustained a thigh injury that required surgery. Arne Slot has supplemented his Liverpool squad with heavy spending this summer.
Doak was an unused substitute for last Sunday’s Community Shield at Wembley. Coincidentally, Liverpool and Bournemouth opened the Premier League season on Friday evening.
After Bournemouth completed the signing of the French centre-back Bafode Diakité from Lille for £34.5m this week, Andoni Iraola has turned attention to attacking positions. Doak’s arrival comes with Luis Sinisterra expected to move on loan to Cruzeiro in Brazil.
Manchester City and Bournemouth are interested in signing Josh Acheampong but Chelsea are expected to reject any moves for the talented young defender.
Enzo Maresca has spoken glowingly of Acheampong and is adamant that he does not want to lose the 19-year-old. That has not stopped clubs tracking the youngster’s progress, though, and it is understood that Chelsea rebuffed a recent loan enquiry from Bournemouth. Newcastle have also been monitoring the situation.
Bournemouth need to rebuild their defence after selling Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi, while Newcastle have been looking to add youth at the back. Sources are aware of furtive interest from City, who rate Acheampong but have made no solid moves for him.
Chelsea have received no official bids and remain determined to keep Acheampong, who was given opportunities by Maresca last season. The teenager can play in a range of defensive positions and caught the eye when he featured during the club’s victorious Club World Cup campaign earlier this summer. There could be more first-team opportunities for Acheampong, who has repeatedly been praised by Maresca, with Levi Colwill sidelined by a serious knee injury.
Bournemouth, City and Newcastle are not the only teams who have been monitoring Acheampong, who signed a five-year deal last December. Crystal Palace and West Ham have scouted him and there is interest from clubs in Europe.
It remains to be seen if the situation develops before the window shuts. Playing time will be an obvious consideration for Acheampong as the season progress, although Chelsea have not given the green light to him going out on loan.
Meanwhile Bayern Munich have opened talks with Chelsea over a deal for Christopher Nkunku. The France forward has fallen out of favour and is one of several attackers expected to leave Stamford Bridge before the transfer window shuts.
Chelsea need to move players out before pressing ahead with moves for Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho and RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons. They hope to negotiate a lower fee for Garnacho, who is valued at £50m by United. The Argentina winger wants to move to Stamford Bridge.
Maresca has rejigged his attack this summer, signing Liam Delap, João Pedro, Estêvão Willian and Jamie Gittens while Noni Madueke has left for Arsenal. Nkunku has struggled for form and fitness since joining from Leipzig for £52m two years ago and Bayern are pushing for a loan deal with an option to buy.
Bayern are looking to strengthen their attack after releasing Thomas Müller, agreeing to sell Kingsley Coman and being hit by Jamal Musiala sustaining a long-term injury during the Club World Cup. They looked at Nkunku in January, but were put off by his £60m valuation. The Bundesliga champions have revived their interest after having a bid rejected for Stuttgart’s Nick Woltemade.
Chelsea are also open to offers for Nicolas Jackson, who has interest from Newcastle, and Tyrique George. They are waiting for buyers to emerge for Raheem Sterling and Carney Chukwuemeka. Chelsea have rejected a loan bid from Borussia Dortmund for Chukwuemeka and an offer from Villarreal for the Portugal defender Renato Veiga
Maresca wants a centre-back after losing Levi Colwill to a knee injury. The recruitment team are yet to activate any emergency plans and will move for defensive reinforcements only if a suitable player becomes available. Maresca, though, has made it clear he feels his squad does not contain a suitable replacement for Colwill.
“You know how important Levi has been for us last season, for the way we want to play,” the head coach said before Sunday’s opening game at home to Crystal Palace. “We said many times we are able to create chances and to attack in the right way if we are able to build in the right way. Levi was a huge part of our buildup and now he’s out.
“We are trying to find a solution internally, but the club know exactly what I think. We need a central defender.”
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has completed his move to Leeds, whose manager, Daniel Farke, said the 28-year-old’s arrival would not end of the search for forwards. “There is no doubt we need reinforcements, especially in the offence,” he said. “Dominic can’t be the only step.” Calvert-Lewin, a free agent after leaving Everton, has signed a three-year deal.
